head librarian

Question

Would you say that "head" in "head librarian" is an adjective? If so, why would you?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Anonymous Would you say that "head" in "head librarian" is an adjective? If so, why would you?

No.

CJ

Cool Breeze · Answer

I don't really care what head is called in your example, but an American dictionary does call it an adjective:

head
–adj.
65. first in rank or position; chief; leading; principal: a head official.
66. of, pertaining to, or for the head (often used in combination): head covering; headgear; headpiece.
67. situated at the top, front, or head of anything (often used in combination): headline; headboard.
68. moving or coming from a direction in front of the head or prow of a vessel: head sea; head tide; head current.
69. Slang. of or pertaining to drugs, drug paraphernalia, or drug users.
RHUD

From the Scandinavian point of view, to call head an adjective even in what we would consider a compound noun (headgear, headline) is rather strange!

CB

Fivejedjon · Answer

I don't see why there should be a problem in considering head (first in rank or position; chief; leading; principal) an adjective.

Anonymous · Answer

If we added "head" to our list of English adjectives, could we also add Ibuprophen, Paris, mahogony, Apple, 48007, and California, to give a few examples, to that list? If yes, how long would that list of adjectives get were we to add all nouns that modify other nouns? Wouldn't it reach absurd levels?

Ibuprophen tablets
Paris architecture
mahogony chair
Apple laptop
48007 postcode
California girls

head librarian

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